Finding The Heart Of The Cards
by blackstarlove19
Summary: Dueling isn't just about winning it's about having the ability to keep fighting to the very end , even if it was the last thing you would do, As long as you have a reason to keep on fighting. This story is written by me and my sister.


**Third Pov**

"Attention all duelists! Welcome to this event sponsored by Industrial Illusions. You received with your invitation, the star chips that will grant you entry into the contest. You are all elite, invited by us after close observation of your past Duel Monsters contests. You each have a fair and equal chance to win. It all comes down to how well you've chosen your cards and how well you play. Now then duelists cross the ocean and enter the Duelist Kingdom."

Announced one of the staff managing the new duelist tournament, the tournament to determine who's the best duelist out there, held by the game's creator Maximillion Pegasus.

Duel monsters is a famous game which depends on strategy and quick wit. This is the first tournament to have so many well-known duelists from all over the world in the same place.

All duelists participating were gathered at the domino city port to board the ship that will take them to the duelist kingdom where the main event takes place. That's where our story starts with a brunette girl with green hazel eyes whose hair reached her waist boarding the ship. She wore a high neck sleeveless green shirt, blue jeans and green converse shoes.

**Aria's Pov**

"Present your star chips as you board the vessel." Told us one of the staff

I opened my palm showing one of the staff my two star chips.

"Thank you. Next." He told me as I continued upward but I stopped when I heard the ruckus behind me.

"Hey you! get out of here. Only official contestants are allowed on board." Yelled one of the staff checking the duelist going abroad.

"How do you know I'm not official?" questioned a blonde teenage boy, grabbing the attention of everyone.

"Because the official duelists aren't trying to sneak on board through the lower hatches." One of the lackey's told him as two of them dragged him away, I stepped aside to let the other duelists aboard and followed the three of them.

"Stop your struggling. We're going to have to throw you out." They told him as he continued to keep struggling.

"No way. I came here to duel and I'm gonna duel." The blonde replied

I was about to intervene when a short boy with tri colored hair did first.

"Leave him alone." The short boy demanded, I stayed aside watching how this was going to unfold.

"Hey, Yugi." The blond greeted.

'Did he say Yugi? As in the one who had beaten Kaiba?' I thought to myself.

"Joey! What're you doing here, Joey?" _Yugi _Asked _Joey._

"Hah. Did you really think I'd let you do this on your own? C'mon, help me out." Joey requested

"He's with me. You've got to let him on." Yugi told the two holding them

"Only people with a star chip can get on board. There are no exceptions. Understand?" The guard told Yugi, I thought this was about time to intervene so I stepped closer, just as Yugi gave joey one of his star chips.

The two guards told him how this made him at a disadvantage.

"The boy has a star chip" I told the two guards "the rules don't say anything about having two"

"Miss. P-" He started but a cold look from me shut him up instantly "Fine Miss, but I still have to inform Mr. Pegasus"

"You go do that" I told them and the two of them obeyed and left.

"Thanks for the help" Yugi thanked me

"Yeah thanks for that" Joey thanked me as well.

"No problem guys! Try not to get your selves in any more trouble" I told them as I turned around to leave "The name's Aria by the way" with that I walked away to the ship.

**Third Pov**

The ship has already left coast and was sailing on its way to the Dueling Kingdome, Most of the Duelist were standing on its deck, along those stood a girl with black hair and dark blue eyes, examining the duelist around her and preparing herself for the worst.

**Selena Pov**

I was standing in a corner watching, as all the duelist were walking around talking and trading, most of them were known faces from formal tournaments, but they weren't that hard to beat considering that not all of them were ones to reach the finals.

That when my eyes fell on the two figures leaning on the railing, isn't that Yugi Moto… the one who had beaten Kaiba well he had it coming being his arrogant self, anyway I will have to keep an eye on Yugi here, cause as much as I hate to admit it but Kaiba isn't one to be beaten easily, anyway I'll have to be ready for him, I always am.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when another figure approached them , well if you look at that, the one and only Mai Valentine , the most self-centered , annoying and let's not forget arrogant , duelist you would ever meet , well along with Kaiba , but let's not talk about that now.

"Well what do we have here?" I heard her say as soon as she reached them, which caused both Yugi and his friend heads to snap in her direction.

"Huh?" they replied confused

"Wow" the blonde boy blushed as he checked her out that made me roll my eyes.

"So, you're the Yugi kid everybody's talking about, huh?" she asked eyeing him up and down.

"But I'm amazed that a squirt like you could beat Kaiba. You're famous, you know" she spoke again

"Uh, thanks very much. I think..." Yugi stuttered, in confusion

"Hey miss, I'm a really good friend of Yugi, the master duelist, in fact-" this time his friend was the one who spoke in a failed attempt to impress her as that would ever happen, not to be mean or anything but he was more like …him.

As if on confirming my thoughts she replied "Look, you're either a champ or a chump. Cut this guy loose. He's fashion challenged and deserves to be crushed in the games" and with that she walked off but was stopped by the blonde again "Please, crush me."

Seriously, get a hold of yourself I thought as I shook my head at him.

"I'll crush you all eventually. The name's Mai" she said, and then went back on her way, didn't I say arrogant and as if someone read my thoughts I heard a voice whisper "How arrogant. There's nobody better at playing Duel Monsters than Yugi"

I looked around searching for the source of the voice, and then saw two figures moving in the dark, so I decided to see what they were doing

"Shhhh! Quiet, they'll hear you" a boy with brown hair tried to shush her, but too late I guess

"I don't care. He's still the best." She demanded and that when I thought I should make my presence clear, so I cleared my throat causing both of them to freeze and me to smirk.

"Well, if we look at that, you two seem out of place" I commented causing their heads to snap in my direction.

"I…wee… "The boy stuttered, so I chuckled

"Don't worry I won't tell, just be more quiet next time" but as on cue

"what are the three of you doing there?" a voice from behind me demanded , crap if he finds out that they have sneaked in here they would be in a lot of trouble and don't ask me why I was helping them but I just was.

"Are you questioning us? I thought we were guest here" I spoke turning to him

"of course not miss , I was just-" he tried to come with an excuse but I cut him off "as much as I saw you were demanding for an answer and I don't believe your master would be so happy with that , would he?"

"Of course not miss, I deeply apologize and there is no need to speak to him about this matter" he apologized

"well then go ahead and leave us be" I said shooing him away and I didn't need to tell him twice as he immediately obeyed and as soon as he was out of ear shoot I turned back to the two of them who were looking at me with wide eyes

"Is something wrong guys?" I raised a brow at them

"Marry me?" Was the first thing the boy said, causing me to laugh.

"Well as tempting as that offer is, I don't even know your name yet?" I said chuckling and the girl beside him slapped him on the back of his head.

"Thanks for the rescue, I'm Tea and this is Tristan" she said turning to me

"No need, but like I said net time you decide to sneak in be more quite, anyway see you around" with that I turned to leave but was stopped by Tea" we never caught your name"

"It's Selena"

I was heading to my room, thinking about new strategies to win this tournament when someone called my name.

"Selena! Is that really you?" Someone called from behind me, wait a second is that.., I turned around to find Aria walking towards me.

"Aria! What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? Since when do you duel?" She asked me that caught me off guard, should I tell her?

"Let's go somewhere more private"

"I guess we should since I have something to tell you too" She told me

"Let's go then" I grabbed her by the arm pulling her to my room.

"I can't believe we were both keeping secrets from each other" Aria said as she laid down on my bed.

"Well I am glad I got that off my chest. You're the first one I ever told. Not even my father know" I said sitting beside her

"I need some fresh air" said Aria as she sat up "Let's go Lena"

We both got up and made our way back to the deck.

We had just made it to the deck when we saw Yugi shouting at the sea "Joey" but with no further words he jumped over the railing

"Are those guys insane?" Aria asked as we ran to the railings and looked at the two of them

"Well they probably are but I'm not just going to stand around waiting to see if they're gonna make it or not" I replied, and then jumped behind them.

"Selenaaa!" I heard Aria call behind me but I was too busy looking for the two idiots who just jumped off board, it took me a minute or so to find them because of the dark, but as soon as I did I quickly made my way to them, thankfully I did as Yugi was parley able to hold Joey from drowning.

"Are you two idiots?" I yelled at them as I pulled Joey's arm over my shoulder, who was unconscious.

**Aria Pov**

"Selenaaaaa!" I called after Selena, the idiot who jumped after the two other idiots. I turned around to find a girl and a boy looking over the railings too.

"You two!" I called them grabbing their attention "Help me find some rope or something"

They nodded and we started looking around till the boy shouted.

"Here I found a ladder!"

"Yugi!" The girl called over the railing.

"Are you okay?" The boy asked as we both unrolled the rope ladder and tied it to the railings.

"You three grab the ladder now!" I shouted at the three idiots.

"Hurry!"

"Tea! Tristan! Aria!" Yugi called back

**Selena Pov**

"That was close. I'm sure glad you four guys showed up. Really glad!" Yugi told us

"Well no need but why the hell did you guys even jump at first place?" I asked looking between them

"Especially when I told you two to not get in any more trouble" Aria said from beside me

"Wait a second you know them"" I questioned looking at her then turned to Tea and Tristan whom I just noticed "and what are you two doing here? You might get caught"

"Wait a second you know those two?" Aria questioned me this time gesturing to Tea and Tristan

"Wait a second this just got confusing" Joey spoke up, well good job stating the obvious

"And you just figured that out" I said rolling my eyes at him

"Okay so anyway, I'm Aria, and you two are Tea and Tristan as Yugi called you right?" she introduced herself

"I'm Selena, and you're supposed to be Yugi, so now that leads us to you" I said pointing at the blonde boy "the stupid idiot whom I almost drowned for"

"Well the name is Joey and I had a good reason for that" he then turned to Yugi " I'm sorry, Yugi" he said looking down in shame

"Huh?" Yugi asked confused

"I failed. I only found two of your cards" he apologized seeming genuinely sorry

"Its okay, Joey"

"It's not okay. It's always this way with me. I'm never able to help anybody. Not even my own sister, Serenity" he spoke still looking guiltily at the ground

"Serenity?"

"Really? You have a sister, Joey?" Tea asked in surprise

"Our parents divorced years ago, when we were kids. She lives far away with my mother. My sister's had really bad eyes since she was born. Eventually she'll go blind" he explained, his eyes never leaving the ground

"I'm sorry" Yugi apologized

"Thanks, Yugi'. She sent me a message" he said

"The doctors told her that the time has come. Soon her eyes will be impossible to repair, even with surgery. But there are specialists who could perform an operation now, before it's too late. They could save her eyesight. But... there's no way I can pay for the operation. I have to win. For her! Winning in the Duelist Kingdom, and getting the prize money, is the only way I can help Serenity!" he went on explaining causing a bang of guilt to hit me and I fought to keep a straight face

So as soon as I found a chance I left without even telling any of them, but somehow Aria noticed and followed me all the way to my room closing the door behind her "its pretty Nobel, isn't it?" Aria said with a sad smile

"Yeah it is" I chuckled dryly "some people aren't as self-centered and selfish as I'm I should just quit already and let those who are fighting for a good cause win"

"You aren't self-centered you're dueling for a reason too-"

"Yeah right, who am I fooling" I cut her off

"Better than me, I mean the only reason I duel is to have fun" Aria sighs "let's just get ready we should be arriving soon"

I just nodded and didn't look at her as she left the room


End file.
